Membership

Establish Your Roots

We encourage those who have made the commitment to give, attend, pray, and serve at Riverwood to become members. According to our constitution, "Membership in the church is granted on application to those who through faith in God's Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, have been born anew to a living hope, have been baptized according to the Holy Scriptures, desire to live a Christian life, and promise to support the total ministry of the church and to share its fellowship and obligations."

Being a member of a church is like being a member of your family. As a member of your church family, you are asked to support your church family as you would your biological family. This means supporting your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by loving them, caring for them, serving them and praying for them. It also means supporting your church by giving financially and with service, attending church on a regular basis so that you stay connected to God and your church family, and upholding your church in prayer.

Why Membership?

What members can expect from the church:

As a member of Riverwood, you will have full voice in the decisions of the church, including approval of budgets, and calling of pastors. You will be kept informed of all activities, meetings, and events. Members should expect to find great joy in serving with other Christians in the ministry of Jesus Christ. Members can also expect to be loved, cared for, prayed for, and taught God's Word within a healthy church family.

What the church expects from its members:

Being a member at Riverwood is a wonderful experience! It also brings responsibilities on the part of the member just like in a family. Our by-laws state, "the members of this church do covenant together by God's grace to live lives in a manner consistent with the standards of Biblical teaching, including the support of this local ministry in attendance, prayer, service, and giving; to live lives in word and deed that are an encouragement to others; to know and be like Jesus Christ; to reflect in all our relationships the servant love of our Lord; and to support the broader mission of Christ through the Regional Conference and Covenant."

Next steps toward becoming a member:

If you feel called to membership at Riverwood, there are a few steps to complete:

1. Attend a Riverwood 101 Class. At Riverwood 101, you will get to meet members of the staff, learn about the history of the church, and learn more about being a part of Riverwood. These classes happen 6 times a year:

Sunday, November 12th, 2023, 12:15-1:30 pm
Sunday, January 7th, 2024, 12:15-1:30 pm
Sunday, March 17th, 2024, 12:15-1:30 pm
Sunday, May 19th, 2024, 12:15-1:30 pm
Sunday, July 14th, 2024, 12:15-1:30 pm
Sunday, September 29th, 2024, 12:15-1:30 pm

2. After Riverwood 101, our membership coordinator will follow up with you. If you feel called to continue the membership process at this point, you will attend a membership class. At this class, you will learn what it means to be a member of Riverwood and more about the church and denomination. These classes happen 3 times a year, following Riverwood 101:

Sunday, January 7th, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm
Sunday, May 19th, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm
Sunday, September 29th, 2024, 2:00-3:30 pm

3. After completing both classes, you will fill out a membership application. This is an online form that will be sent to you by the membership coordinator. They will then schedule an interview with members of the Leadership Board. The interview is an informal meeting where you will get to share your faith story and get to know some of the Riverwood leadership.

4. Once the interview is completed, your name will be sent to the membership for approval, then voted on by the Leadership Board. You will then be officially welcomed as a new member on a Sunday morning.

Once you are a member, you will be asked to renew your membership each year at the Annual Meeting in September.

This may seem like a lot but as stated above, membership is an important decision for both parties and should not be taken lightly. We look forward to welcoming you to our Riverwood Family. If you have any questions, please reach out to the church office (office@riverwoodcovenant.org), and we will connect you with our membership coordinator, Gayle McCracken.